


Oasis

by salesman



Series: Overloaded: Solas POV & Other Stories [11]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, Humor, POV Third Person, Randomness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-09 21:30:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4364885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salesman/pseuds/salesman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything sucked in the desert.</p>
<p>Well, maybe not everything. Solas was okay.</p>
<p>
  <span class="small">
    <em>Random Overloaded <strong>AU oneshot</strong>... I'm not sure where it'd be placed in the timeline, either.</em>
  </span>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oasis

Sweat poured down her skin. It was burning in the desert. Anna sat in the shade of a cliff, leaning her back against its rocky wall. The Inquisition had been here for two weeks, but it might as well have been an eternity. They (well, not really Anna) had been constantly pursuing random missions left and right, and she was sick of being stuck here.

There seemed no end to trouble in the Western Approach. It was tiring, boring, and overall... uncomfortable. It sucked.

“Solas!” Anna yelled. She waved to the elf seated at the far side of camp. He looked up from the call and squinted his eyes at her. “Solas! Solas! Give me another ice glyph!” She continued to wave both her hands in the air, attempting to get him over to her.

At first, he put a hand to his ear as if trying to hear her better, but after understanding her request (cough, _demand_ ), he only shook his head. Stupid wolf!

“ _Please_!” she shouted. Solas then gestured for _her_ to walk over, but it would be unbearable if she left her shady spot. “No! You come _here_!” He had _magic_. Anna had nothing!

She watched as he blinked a few times and disappeared into a tent. Hmpf.

She was definitely going to die out here. From heat stroke or dehydration or getting too much sand in her eyes or something. And Solas didn’t even _care_!

The small shade Anna sat in barely helped at all. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the cliff. At least she had lived a somewhat interesting life...

“You don’t look too good, kid.”

Her eyes peeled open. Iron Bull stood before her, his large figure casting an extra shadow. It helped a little. “It’s really hot,” Anna snapped. The heat made her cranky, and the ground was so _blinding_ here, as if each little grain of sand were a tiny mirror pointed directly into her eyes. She closed them again.

He laughed. “Didn’t you say you were so ‘excited’ to come here? That you were sick of all the snow in the Frostbacks, and you just wanted to go somewhere warm?”

“I regret it,” she moaned. “I regret it, okay? I regret it all!”

Bull chuckled again and took a seat beside her. She could feel the heat radiating off his humongous body. Why did it have to be this hot?!

“How are you not _dying_ right now, Bull? This place is like a death trap!” she whined, looking at him again.

He shrugged. “Par Vollen was always pretty hot. I’m used it.”

“Well, that’s lucky for _you_. I think I’m melting.”

Bull was silent a moment before suggesting, “I could try to use my greatsword as a fan.”

Anna’s eyes shot open. “Wait, what?”

“I’ll use the blade’s flat surface as a fan.” He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, like everyone knew this, and everybody did it.

“Won’t that be dangerous? What if you cut yourself or drop it or something?”

He laughed. “I doubt it, and that doesn’t scare me, anyway.”

Anna considered the proposition. She was skeptical about it actually working, and the most air it could possibly blow towards her would be minimal, but still... She was pretty fucking hot out here.

“Okay, let’s do it!”

Iron Bull grinned and jumped to his feet, rushing to camp to grab his sword. This had to be the dumbest idea ever conceived. But whatever.

She closed her eyes again as she waited, trying to think of the coolness of Skyhold instead. Ahhh. That crisp winter air. The crunch of snow. The breeze that would chill her skin even if she were inside because of all the still-not-repaired holes in the walls. Whenever the Inquisition did return, she swore she wouldn’t even need a jacket. This trip had heated her body for a lifetime.

Something poked her forehead, and her lids flew open.

Solas was running his finger against her skin. “That was a terrible idea, da’len,” he chided as he crouched beside her. He finished and pulled his hand away. “I cannot even fathom how Iron Bull would have succeeded.”

The spell rushed down her body, cooling her veins and prickling her skin. Yes. Finally, some relief! She threw her arms around him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Anna sang.

“Ah—” Solas resisted. He was pulling away. “Anna, you’re very—Well, your _skin_ is...”

She let go. “Oh, sorry, whoops.” He was only wearing his tunic and breeches, most likely due to the intense heat. And she had left a damp imprint on the fabric. Oh, no. How embarrassing. “I’m really sweaty, I’m sorry,” she mumbled, looking to the ground.

“You should rest in my tent. I have cast several ice spells which cool it considerably.”

“Really, you did? Why didn’t you tell me!” Anna jumped up immediately. “I nearly died, you know!” she yelped before hurrying to his tent. Paradise awaited!

And he was completely right. It felt like Skyhold in here! There were massive ice crystals strategically placed around, giving off gentle waves of cold. Nice. _Cool_.

Anna laid herself down on top of a bedroll. She could cry, that was how happy she was. Life was worth living again. She had found the light at the end of a two-week long, horribly hot tunnel.

Solas also entered the tent shortly after. He made a disapproving sound. “On my bed, Anna? You could not wait to _dry_ at least?” He huffed over to another corner where a pile of books lied. Solas dusted one off, settled himself near them, and started to read.

“You sure brought a lot of crap on this trip, huh?”

He briefly met her gaze again to glare. “These are highly informative historical texts, and should hardly be called”—he paused to take an aggravated breath—“ _crap_.”

Anna laughed, sitting up in the bedroll. “You just knew you’d get bored, right?”

He smiled. Just a little. “These excursions can be extensive, and without other activities to pass the time...”

“It’s way boring." Anna sighed and fell back down in the bed again. “What’s your book about?”

“Darkspawn and the Blight. Corypheus’ ability to regenerate is rather unsettling.”

Anna hummed in acknowledgement. She lifted her head, still lying down. “You know we’re going to win, right?”

He glanced her way before returning to his tome. “One can never take too many precautions.” He flipped a page. “How are you so certain?”

“It’s just one of the things I know. Corypheus is going to lose. I mean, he pretty much fails at everything. The Inquisitor has foiled him so many times already, it’s a little ridiculous.”

“Wars are unpredictable, da’len,” he cautioned.

“Yeah, but this is one of my future-tellings. The Inquisitor defeats him. She’s way more powerful than he could ever be. I mean, he never even stood a chance. She’s just _too_ awesome...”

Solas only hummed.

Oh. Right. Solas was still a little sensitive about Lavellan. It had been a good while since The Breakup, but still. His hobo heart yearned. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned her.”

He looked up then. “It is fine, da’len. You needn’t worry. The Inquisitor and I are both reasonable adults, and are actually on excellent terms, considering the circumstances.”

Although he said all that other stuff, for some reason Anna could only focus on _adults_. Why did he use that word? Wasn’t it kind of... specific? Was he implying that Anna was excluded from that category?!

“I’m an adult.”

Solas raised a brow and studied her a moment. Or perhaps he was waiting for her to say more. She couldn’t actually tell. “I am aware,” he replied, his tone low and dry.

Anna sat up again. “Are you really, though? I mean, you still call me da’len.”

Solas raised both brows now. “I call you da’len because you specifically asked me to.”

“Yeah, but that was nearly a year ago... Don’t you think it shouldn’t apply anymore? Like maybe I should graduate from da’len status or something?”

Solas sighed and closed his tome. “It is more out of habit than anything else, Anna. But if it truly concerns you, I will no longer use it.”

Anna smiled. “So what will you call me instead?”

“Your name, obviously.”

“Can’t you call me something else?”

He sighed again. “What would you prefer?”

“Lethallan.”

Solas snorted. “ ‘Da’len’ was already peculiar. Lethallan is out of the question.”

“Come on, Solas! It totally isn’t!” She crawled towards him to plead a little closer. “Who do you have more in common with than me, huh?”

He arched a brow. “I should think you know the answer.”

She sat on her knees just before him now. “Not just being an elf, but actual experience-wise!” she argued. “I’m the only one who’s a complete outsider, just like you, who’s lost my home and can probably never go back.”

He couldn't dispute her on that. His eyes softened, and he reached towards her with a hand, gently placing it on her shoulder. “Anna,” Solas said tenderly. His hand moved to cup her cheek.

“Why don’t you call me ‘falon’ then instead?” she suggested quietly.

Solas smiled. “Falon,” he repeated. “A rare fortune to have.”

Anna laughed. “Oh, stop that. Everyone in the Inner Circle is your friend.”

His thumb ran across her cheekbone. “Not as you are.”

_Not as you are_. Not as you are?

They stared at each other for a good while. A good long, long while. Anna wasn’t sure what to do. The atmosphere had completely changed now. It felt like all the air had escaped the room, and there was nothing but the two of them. Well, them and a bunch of giant ice cubes. “My skin is dry again,” she observed. She sounded so stupid. But at least she wasn’t sweaty.

“I would not be touching you if it hadn’t,” he smirked. His hand did indeed still touch her cheek... Heh.

“Well, thanks, anyway. For the ice,” she mumbled. Solas was really close now, wasn’t he? He looked so nice from this proximity. Such definitive features he had. That sharp chin. Those cheekbones. Don’t even get her started on his lips... or worse, his _eyes_. And he was smiling right now, which made it even worse. Well, better. Her heart always skipped a beat when he smiled.

And it was skipping like crazy right now.

Oh, geez. They’d been silent a few minutes now, hadn’t they? Neither were talking, and Solas’ hand was still fastened to her face. Why wasn’t he moving? Why wasn’t _she_ moving?

Well, screw it. If he was going to have his fun touching her cheek, she was going to indulge herself, too. But slowly, of course. She wouldn’t want to scare him.

Anna lifted her fingers to his jaw and traced along the bone. Oh, yes. This was wonderful, the absolute best. Why hadn’t she done this before? Probably because it was a violation of his personal space. And a little creepy.

Solas didn’t seem to mind, though.

Her fingers slid across his skin, moving upwards to the line of his cheek. Her hand was so slow as she watched it glide along. The contact was phenomenal. Her breathing completely halted from how terrified she was of him stopping it all. This perfect indulgence that she had desired for ages.

His skin was so smooth. How old was he, anyway? A billion? It was unfair, really. Anna laughed a little at the thought, and ended up meeting his gaze again in the process. Oh.

His eyes were intense. Like they were on fire, or maybe electrocuted... an electrical fire! Whatever it was, something was definitely stirring in that hobo. And she was a little scared to see it.

But the fire wasn’t the angry type, no. It was the kind that burned with energized passion, the kind that zipped right to the soul. The kind that shouted love. And kisses. Gulp.

She wasn’t ready for this, was she? This was too soon. Or maybe too late? Or maybe it shouldn’t happen at all! So many things could go wrong with kisses. They could be sloppy, slobbery, sore. And then there was the after-part, too. What would happen next? More kisses? Sex? Apologies? Proposals of marriage? Woes of regret?

It didn’t matter how much she had thought about it before, or how many times she had fantasized about this very moment with this very person. Fantasies were fantasies—they weren’t supposed to come true!

Anna certainly loved him, though. Loved him more than anything. She loved talking to him, teasing him, touching him, tearing off his clothes... Oops. Accidental perverted daydreaming right there. And at a time like this, no less!

No, this was bad. This would not end well. She was not supposed to win the elf. The Inquisitor was the one destined for that. _She_ even had his magic stuck in her hand! Anna had nothing. Except maybe that horn-thing she had stolen from his backpack. He was still looking for it, by the way.

Their love was just not meant to be. It should have been clear enough by their personalities alone. They were meant to be friends. Best friends forever. Ha. He’s immortal. Okay, not funny.

Although, he _was_ sending her major kissy-waves right now. And smiling at her, and touching her, and looking undeniably handsome and happy to be there beside her. If they _were_ to kiss... well, she should consider his feelings, too. Maybe he had been thinking about it just as much as she.

Oh, no. He was leaning now. _Leaning_. Closer and closer, nearer and nearer! It was really happening, wasn’t it? This was it. This was the kiss. The kiss that would ruin everything.

“I can’t do this!” she cried, ripping her hand away from his face (yes, she had been touching him this whole time, so what?). She stood and ran out of the tent.

The first thing Anna felt was the sun punching her in the face. Shit, out here was a nightmare. She had forgotten that. The second thing was instant regret. Why didn’t she kiss him?! She could be such an idiot sometimes.

And the third feeling was embarrassment. Because everyone at the camp was staring at her. “Hot out today, huh?” she diverted. They only gaped back at her. How loud had she shouted?

Solas emerged behind her. “Anna, may I have a word...?” His voice quieted as he realized the rest of the camp were watching.

Sera cracked her knuckles and stood from a log she had been sitting on. “Did elfy try somethin’ on you, Annie?” She continued to crack her knuckles with this menacing glare towards Solas.

“Easy, Sera,” Bull warned through clenched teeth. “It’s not our _business_.” His tone confused Anna, like he was secretly trying to say something else. What was he implying?

“It _is_ my business if he hurt my friend!” Sera argued. She marched towards the two and jabbed a finger at him. “What did you do, elfy? Somethin’ stupid, yeah?”

Solas narrowed his eyes, readying himself to speak, but Anna shoved herself between them. “Honestly, he didn’t do anything! I just got scared of... a snake!”

Sera furrowed her brow, glancing down Solas’ body at his... Oh, not _that_ kind of snake.

“A _desert_ snake, Sera, geez!” Anna huffed. Like Solas would ever hurt her. She rolled her eyes and beelined it back into the tent. At least it wasn’t hot as fuck in there.

Anna sat on the bedroll, covering her red face and trying not to think of how embarrassing it all was. She heard the tent-flap move again. Solas had returned as well.

“Forgive me, Anna. If I had known how uncomfortable you were, I would not have—” He took a deep breath, and Anna looked up at him from her hands.

“You don’t have to apologize,” she muttered. “I just didn’t want you doing something you’d regret. That’s all.”

He sat beside her on the bed. “Why would I regret it?”

Why? Because Anna the Rebound was not a title she wanted. “Well, because, you know...” Did she have to say it? Did she really have to say it? “...because I’m not _her_.” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“No, you are Anna.”

What he did next was shocking and instant and _amazing_. He took her face in both of his palms and kissed her. _Kissed_ her. On the mouth!

There were a lot of words in that kiss, too. Silent words she hadn’t expected. Long-kept secrets finally coming to light. Murmurs of feelings she hadn’t sensed from him before, or perhaps merely disbelieved. Love and desperation. Passion and affection. Biting and tongue. Oh, _yes_.

And this was _Solas_ pressed against her! Solas holding her close, cradling her in his arms and tugging on her body. This was a dream. It couldn’t be real.

“Apologies. I should have been clearer,” he whispered against her lips. “I am in love with you, Anna.”

No, she wasn’t dreaming. She was dead. She had died, and this was heaven. But Anna was definitely, entirely, most wonderfully okay with that.

**Author's Note:**

> Elvhen translations:  
> da'len = little one, little child  
> lethallan = cousin, kin  
> falon = friend
> 
> I was writing many other things, but then I got inspired by something else and rambled this out. It's random, but I kinda like it.


End file.
